Malawi Nursing Education Partnership Initiative

Background About: NEPI is addressing critical shortages In rural Malawi, nurses and midwives account for over 90 percent of health care of health care workers in six sub-Saharan providers. An acute shortage of health care workers coupled with a high disease burden, African countries: Democratic Republic of however, is placing considerable strain on the existing workforce. In Malawi, where the Congo, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, the HIV prevalence rate is over 11 percent, sufficient numbers of adequately trained South Africa, and Zambia. nurses are needed to address essential population-based health care needs, including antiretroviral treatment for HIV. Key Health Challenges In 2011, ICAP launched the Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI) with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through U.S. Health Health Care Worker Density in Malawi Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) to improve the quantity and quality of the nursing and midwifery workforce. Through NEPI, ICAP is working in partnership with Malawi’s Ministry of Health (MOH) to enhance nursing and midwifery education at four 230 institutions:

• Kamuzu College of Nursing at the University of Malawi • WHO- • Malawi College of Health Sciences recommended • Mzuzu University HCWs per • Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi • Malawi 32 100,000 people In Malawi, NEPI is addressing the following challenges to nursing and midwifery education: 1) limited number of tutors and clinical preceptors 2) limited capacity to meet the needs of an increased number of students 3) under-resourced teaching and learning Leading Causes of Death in Malawi facilities; and 4) limited opportunities for advanced study and career development.

Other 40% HIV/AIDS Achievements 25% Strengthening Nursing Education Infrastructure NEPI is working to expand enrollment of pre-service nursing and midwifery students Lower by: improving student access to rural practicum sites; upgrading classrooms; and Respiratory Infections outfitting skills labs where nursing and midwifery students complete clinical placements. Tuberculosis 12% Examples of NEPI’s impact in Malawi: 3% Ischemic • Established a fully equipped laboratory at Mzuzu University. Heart Diarrheal Disease • Provided evehicles to support student transportation. Malaria Diseases 4% 258% 8% +1284340 • Procured laptops and over desktop computers for NEPI partner schools and the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi.

Health Care Providers in Rural Malawi Improving the Capacity of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty NEPI is improving the capacity of nurses and midwives in Malawi by expanding Other educational and career advancement opportunities for nursing and midwifery faculty. 13% • Supported the development of a new PhD program for nurses in Inter-Professional Health Care Leadership--one of only two PhD programs in Africa.

• Supported the development of a two-year Masters in Nursing and Midwifery Nurses Education at Kamuzu College of Nursing. 87% Improving the Quality and Relevance of Teaching and Learning NEPI is improving the quality of teaching and learning through the introduction of 87+13 competency-based curricula, clinical preceptorship, and innovative teaching techniques. nepinetwork.org Malawi Nursing Education Partnership Initiative

About ICAP: A global leader in HIV/AIDS and • Developed a six-week university certificate in clinical preceptorship at Mzuzu health systems strengthening, ICAP provides University to train nurses as preceptors. technical assistance and implementation support to governments and NGOs in more • Established four clinical model wards at four teaching hospitals: Kamuzu Central than 21 countries. ICAP has supported work at more than 5,250 health facilities around Hospital, Kasungu District Hospital, Mzuzu Central Hospital, Ntcheu District the world and more than 2.5 million people Hospital, and Zomba Central Hospital. have received HIV treatment through ICAP-supported programs. • Provided students two-year scholarships in nursing and midwifery education at Kamazu College of Nursing.

• Provided nursing students three-year scholarships to Mzuzu University. Key Achievements • Provided nursing students two-year scholarships to Malawi College of Health and Sciences for post-basic diplomas.

First-year students enrolled in • Piloted and launched Option B+ online training for nurses and midwives for the pre-service education programs: prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV at Mzuzu University and Malawi 1,910 College of Health Sciences.

Number of students graduating from Strengthening Governance, Leadership, and Administrative Capacity of Nursing pre-service training programs: Education Institutions NEPI is providing technical assistance and capacity-building support for regulatory 1,330 councils to strengthen leadership, education and financial management, and quality assurance at nursing education institutions. Number of students successfully completing skills labs: • Developed new Nursing and Midwifery Education Standards to guide training and practice across institutions and ensure standard accreditation. 2,400 • Supported the re-training of nurses and midwives in licensure assessment.

• Supported the training of technical and finance staff.

Enhancing Partnerships in Nursing Education Networks ICAP HEADQUARTERS NEPI is working to enhance partnerships between clinical services, and national and Mailman School of Public Health regional nursing and midwifery education institutions involved in pre-service education. Columbia University 722 West 168th Street • Supported education partnerships between the MOH, Mzuzu University, and four New York, NY 10032 hospitals (Mzuzu, Ntcheu, Zomba, Kasungu) to re-establish model teaching wards. T.212.342.0505 • Supported the development of the Clinical Practicum Placement Coordinator Forum to ensure nursing students have equal access to clinical learning opportunities. MALAWI OFFICE Samala House, 2nd FL • Facilitated the National Nurse Leaders and Tutors Forum between nurses and tutors to Section B improve clinical teaching of nursing and midwifery students. City Centre • Promoted south-to-south technical assistance partnerships with: P.O. Box 31604 ¤¤East, Central and Southern African College of Nursing (ECSACON) Lilonge, Malawi ¤¤Forum of University Nursing Departments in South Africa (FUNDISA) T. +265 1 772 616

This work has been supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the terms of the Global Nurse Capacity Building Program, cooperative agreement #U92HA12772.The contents are the responsibility of ICAP and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Government.

June 2016